1. Luisa Ulrici and Luca Bruno, on behalf of DGS/RP
RADIOACTIVE WASTE
Luisa Ulrici and Luca Bruno,
on behalf of DGS/RP
OUTLINE
DEFINITIONS AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORK
WASTE LIFECYCLE AT CERN
IMPLICATIONS FOR THE RP GROUP
IMPLICATIONS FOR THE USERS

2. Definitions and Responsibilities
Radioactive Material:
radioactive accelerator or detector components in use or stored for reuse
under the responsibility of the equipment owner (departments, experimental collaborations)
radioactive: Swiss exemption limit = CERN exemption limit
Radioactive Waste:
former radioactive material declared as waste by equipment owner
under the responsibility of HSE unit (DGS-RP).
radioactive : “Swiss-CERN” - Swiss exemption limit
“French-CERN” as pre-defined by “Zonage Dechet”

3. Regulatory framework
RATIFICATION OF THE TRIPARTITE AGREEMENT ON SAFETY AND RADIATION PROTECTION
(September 2011)
Definition of criteria for the “ fair share” of waste disposal in France and Switzerland depending on
mass
residual radioactivity
toxicity
Establishing of inter-site transport rules
General authorization for import, export and handling of radioactive sources

4. Tripartite Agreement Reflects Concepts of Host States
Accord tripartite du
Surete/radioprotection
Tripartite Agreement Reflects Concepts of Host States
fair share – based on quantity, activity and radiotoxicity of the waste as well as on optimized economical approach
Basis: CERN waste study

5. Life Cycle of CERN Waste
Design phase
-> materials
(choice , quantity)
Operation
-> activation
(beam losses)
Repair
Maintenance
Dismantling
-> waste production
DGS-RP: advice, monitoring and clearance
PH, BE, TE, EN
waste producers
Elimination
Treatment
Storage
Pre-treatment
Reception
Tracing (classification in the ISRAM Database)
Decay storage
Interim storage while treatment is pending
Characterization (radionuclide inventory)
Treatment according to elimination pathway
Dossier follow-up with FR and CH authorities
Inquiries on state-of-the-art elimination pathways
Pre-Treatment (sorting & volume reduction)
DGS-RP
waste manager

6. Implications for RW MINIMIZATION OF WASTE CERN TREATMENT CENTER
Costs :
F TFA: 1 kEuro/m3 FA: 10 kEuro/m3
CH TFA: 103kCHF/m3 FA: case by case based on study
e.g. disposal of 1 ISOLDE target= 20kCHF
Space issues (interim storage)
ISR tunnel , octants 2 to 7
CERN TREATMENT CENTER
Conceptual design ongoing for RWTC located in ISR4
CHARACTERIZATION OF WASTE
Development of methods for the assessment of waste (investment of several man years)

7. Storage layout Radioactivity B184 RWTC High Low B181 Shielded Area
Tritiated water
TFA
Free-release facility
Fire compartment
Buffer
Large items
Low
High
Radioactivity
Isolde targets
TTFA (Candidate free-release)

8. RWTC Inspection and measurements for transport Double door system
Bandsaw
Super-
compactor
Drying facility
Clearance facility
Buffer
Free release

9. ACTIVIZ
ActiWiz software  allows to quickly quantify radiological hazard of material implemented into CERN’s accelerator environment.
69 elements and most common metals and construction materials were processed  first version of a catalogue is now available (LINAC4, BOOSTER, PS, SPS & LHC radiation environments)
Catalogue provides radiological guidelines supporting the user in the choice of materials to be implemented in the accelerator environment.
Help of users required to adapt the catalogue to the user’s needs and to extend the list of materials treated by the catalogue. For adding materials to the catalogue a detailed description (chemical composition and density) of the material to be added is required.
Courtesy of Ch. Theis and H. Vincke: Material guidelines project -radiological hazard classification :ACTIVIZ

10. Categorization of the radiation environments
LHC
SPS
Linac 4 + Booster PS
FLUKA calculation of 42 «typical» hadronic particle spectra (p, n, p+, p- - close to beamline, wall, shielding etc.)
Radiological hazard assessment for arbitrary materials
Courtesy of Ch. Theis and H. Vincke: Material guidelines project -radiological hazard classification :ACTIVIZ

11. Measurement techniques for characterization
Free release detectors allows to characterize radioactive waste with very low level activity.
In situ gamma spectrometers used for characterization of large items

12. Implications on users I
MINIMIZATION OF WASTE
Procedures for the optimization of engineering design shall be issued
OWNERSHIP OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE
The ownership of radioactive material stays with the departments until acceptance of the Waste Identification Formular (FID) and delivery to the RW treatment center
In specific cases ownership has to be be discussed and agreed with the equipment owner (i.e. ISOLDE targets)

13. Application of ALARA in equipment design
A proposal for a guideline was drafted: “ALARA design guidelines and best practices applicable to accelerator equipment” EDMS
Similar procedures/guidelines shall be developed by the equipment owners in collaboration with the RP group

14. Implications on users II
INTERNAL ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA FOR RADIOACTIVE WASTE
Members of the RW section shall take part to preliminary meetings in case of dismantling projects ( i.e. WANF).
Internal acceptance criteria for radioactive waste is planned to be drafted by RP group and will be discussed with equipment groups.
PREDICTION OF WASTE
A waste study is needed for any new installation or major modification of existing installation (experiment or accelerator)
Identification and declaration to tripartite of radioactive waste without immediate elimination pathway (e.g. activated Hg)